Cleveland on a Budget

amother

OP ↓

Sun, Jan 12 2025, 7:57 pm

Thinking of coming to Cleveland for two days over winter break. Ideas of what to do with kids ages 2-11?

amother

Lightyellow

Sun, Jan 12 2025, 9:47 pm

I assume you have family there? Otherwise Cleveland is really not a “destination” per se especially in the winter. But if you are going to visit family, they have the same things to do as anywhere else for day trips

You should really be careful to check the weather before, they can have some massive snowstorms there and you don’t want to get stuck

amother

Honeydew

Sun, Jan 12 2025, 10:16 pm

lol that’s funny. And here we are in Cleveland for a full week of winter break trying to figure out what how to keep busy, or to go to NY. There isn’t much to do here in the winter. In the summer it’s amazing with lakes and waterfalls and parks

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Jan 12 2025, 11:14 pm

amother Lightyellow wrote:

Not really. Just need to get out of Detroit and Cleveland is the closest community. Don't want to travel far

Cookiegirl

Mon, Jan 13 2025, 6:35 am

We went to a great Inventors museum in Akron, OH. I believe it's part of the ASTC Passport program (Association of Scient and Technology Centers). You can buy membership at one museum and use the membership in many other museums nationwide. The museum in Alabama had the cheapest membership if I recall correctly. You can sign up online

amother

Blueberry

Mon, Jan 13 2025, 9:08 am

If the weather isn't bad, go to the zoo. It is really nice and some animals are more active in the cold weather.

Science Museum
Natural History Museum
B.a. sweeties (giant candy store, fun to explore)
Public Library downtown- surprisingly interesting to explore. Kind of like a Museum.
Get Air or Sky Zone
Scene 75
The Jump Yard

amother

Copper

Mon, Jan 13 2025, 10:00 am

My in-laws lived in Cleveland for many years and we spent many chol hamoeds there. They have some great museums, a very nice zoo, and plenty of kosher food. I don't think it's a silly idea at all.

amother

Blush

Mon, Jan 13 2025, 11:05 am

Cookiegirl wrote:

That's a great idea! But I see several science museums in Alabama. Do you remember which is the cheap one that you signed up for?

amother

Ballota

Mon, Jan 13 2025, 7:25 pm

Wickliffe lanes for bowling
EBT, if you have it, gives discount for some visitors for children's museum
If you have membership for toledo science center, I think you can use it at great lakes science center
We have a new Rita's(mostly cholov yisroel)

amother

Mintcream

Mon, Jan 13 2025, 7:29 pm

Cookiegirl wrote:

looks like the museum might have closed Sad

notshanarishona ↓

Mon, Jan 13 2025, 7:37 pm

If it wasn’t winter there are some nice beaches.
Fun N stuff
Adrenaline Monkey
Chuck E Cheese (none of these are cheap , but not crazy expensive, in the range of $20 a kid)
Milky Way is the pizza store
Also, a great way to save $ is bringing an electric burner so you can do some basic cooking from your hotel room. There is a motel called Candlewood Suites which I find really family friendly when we do a staycation. Each suite is really 2 rooms and has a mini kitchen. You can comfortably fit 4-6 people in a suite and it’s not much more expensive than a regular hotel room but that extra room makes all the difference.

↑ notshanarishona

Mon, Jan 13 2025, 7:38 pm

Also we have a really nice library on Lee road, more for little kids but has a play area, has Jewish book section, and frequently has free activities for toddler age. (Read a loud, arts and crafts programs, etc )

amother

Caramel

Mon, Jan 13 2025, 8:52 pm

Art museum is free always, but I think you need to pay for parking, and check and see if they have open studio, which is free crafting.

We don’t usually last too long in the art museum- there’s an interactive exhibit that’s okay but let’s face it, my kids (aged 11 and down to a baby) don’t care to look at art for very long…

We usually group it with a trip to the natural history museum and park in the garage there (which might have reciprocity if you have a membership to your local science/natural history museum) They recently renovated, but we haven’t been since the new part opened…I know there was outdoor ice skating over there too at Wade Oval in the past, but we haven’t been there this year so I can’t confirm that…

amother

Hosta

Mon, Jan 13 2025, 9:22 pm

There’s empire kids in Solon which is a nice indoor climbing play place for kids Shaker rocks is indoor rock climbing. Also good for beginner climbers. Science center. There’s Toboggan Chutes in strongsville. Snow tubing. You can rent a nice indoor pool on Swimply. There’s I think two within 20 minutes of university heights. There’s a really nice new dairy restaurant called fiamma. Also there’s Mendels. If you eat chalav stam you can go to Mitchel’s for ice cream or to nothing bundt cake for some yum cakes. Also grand had chalav Yisroel ice cream and dairy food and pastries. Enjoy!!

Also check Groupon for indoor activities.